CHILD ACTOR
Marco’s World: How the Young Georgia Actor is Making a Play for the Big Time By Mi chae l J . Pa l l e r i no
H is first audition was a total mess. And even though Marco Schittone was only 5 years old at the time, he revisits the experience frequently, sometimes watching the video over and over again. Ask him and he’ll tell you that there were just too many things bouncing around in his head. It is a pretty telling introspection from an 11-year-old who continues to add an impressive slate of film, television, and stage credits to his IMDb profile. The list includes roles in Doom Patrol, The Mule
Marco in Tuck Everlasting. From there, he has continued to carry a pretty heavy load for a young actor. “There is something in him that just lights up when he’s on set, and you think to yourself, yes, it’s all worth it,” Sandi says. “Every parent wants their kids to find inspiration in something positive in their lives.” But while Sandi says this is a great time to be a young actor in Georgia, the experience must come with some boundaries. “If children want to be in this business, they must want it for themselves. Most kids don’t deal with rejection well and this industry is full of it. It takes a special kind of person to put himself out there to be judged, and then be fine with whatever the outcome is.” As his portfolio grows (seven major credits on numerous networks and studio films by age 12), Marco continues to navigate that delicate balance between being a child actor and, well, being a kid. It is one of the qualities that Erik Lingvall, founder of Catapult
Photo by Olesja Mueller
with Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper, and Fox’s The Gifted and Sleepy Hollow television series, just to name a handful. And the list keeps growing… You immediately get
Photo by Catapult Acting Studio
the impression that Marco Schittone is wise beyond his years. Collaborating on scenes with Academy Award- caliber talent like Cooper and Eastwood will do that to you. One of the reasons Marco keeps growing as an actor is his ability to master all those little teaching moments happening around him. Study. Rehearse. Act. Learn. Repeat.
Photo by Walter McBride
Acting Studios, says draws people to Marco’s orbit. “Most actors simply can’t handle the stress and sheer number of hours it takes to really excel as a young actor. For Marco, it seems to be second nature. His passion, enthusiasm and love for this craft is palpable. Not to mention, he’s got a super marketable look.” As Marco continues to wind his way through the entertainment landscape, he is cognizant of the myriad twists and turns the road can take. His saving grace, along with a fierce dedication to his craft, is an infrastructure built to lend a helping hand. “My family is always there for me,” Marco says. “Whether it’s getting ready for an audition, warming up for a play or just there when the disappointment comes (and there is plenty of that), it’s really important to have a support system in this business.”
“I thought acting was going to be a breeze,” Schittone says, reflecting on those early experiences. “But let me tell you, it was not. I thought it was all about learning lines and interpreting a character. And while that’s technically what acting is, there’s a lot more that goes into how you perfect it. You have to analyze who your character is, understand the storyline, and so much more.” Take his turn in the Eastwood-directed movie The Mule , where Marco played the son of Cooper’s character, DEA agent Colin Bates. The experience was another teaching moment for the young performer. “I was nervous at first, but once we started working on our scene, all my nerves went away, and we just started acting. In one of the scenes, Bradley Cooper noticed I was focusing too much on my lines. He told me, ‘Be yourself. What would you say in this scene?’ It made me relax and enjoy the experience. The best acting happens when you stop thinking about
Photo courtesy Alliance Theatre
the lines and really put your imagination into being in the moment.” It is interesting to compare Marco’s foray into the world of showbiz with other young actors. After a stint at pee-wee soccer, he figured out pretty quickly that the youth sports scene wasn’t for him. Thanks to his love of making people laugh and singing, Marco had a back-up play ready to roll. Following a family trip to New York City, where he saw Annie on Broadway and waited by the stage door for autographs, he found his calling. His parents, Nick and Sandi, enrolled Marco in an acting camp at Atlanta’s Alliance Theater, where his first role was playing the Tortoise in The Tortoise and the Hare . The relationship with the Alliance helped introduce the Schittones to Casey Nicholaw, who ended up casting
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